VTFan

I agree with Susky. Wacky rigs, shaky heads, drop shots I'll fish with a spinning outfit. Anything else I'm using a baitcaster. That includes Texas rigged worms and jigs.

Does anyone remember the old Dancin' Eel and Dancin' Tadpole lures? Lately my go to lures aren't producing so I reverted back to some past go to lures and happen to dig out an old red Dancin' Tadpole and went back to catching bass. The one I'm using is years old and shows it. Does anyone know if these lures are even still made?

Personally if I'm fishing a Texas rig worm on a baitcaster I use straight fluro. For shaky heads and wacky worm fishing I use braid with a fluro leader. My brother on the other hand will fish straight braid on Texas rigs and catches just as many fish as I do. JMHO.

You said, " big epiphany was that I didnt need to put heat on the cast. a gentle cast is all that is needed". Maybe that is my problem. I've been practicing, practicing, and more practicing but still only get two or three skips. I'll have to try backing off the force of my cast. Thanks.

You said it!!! As the saying goes..."Discretion is the better part of valor".

I too carry a 'day box' to the pond and leave my big tackle bag at home. I carry mine in a lap top computer bag that has some pockets and a front zipper pocket to carry some bags of plastics etc.. It has a shoulder strap to carry it on my shoulder. I got tired of toting that big bag to the pond. This way I can carry what I know the fish normally bite and if I get skunked I just chalk it up to "there's always tomorrow". JMHO

Deep cranks, drop shot, lipless cranks.

I do the same thing.

It took me many years to master casting into the wind and still on occasion I will get that dreaded birds nest. Using braid has made a difference also...at least to me is has. And as others have already said, sidearm roll cast on windy days are a must. I remember a time when we avoided casting into the wind at all cost LOL!!!

My rods are stored in an overhead rod rack in my barn 24/7 which is unheated year round and I never have a problem with fluro except for a little minor line coil which is easily fixed by stretching it out and putting a little tension on it, much like a fish pulling on the other end. I also have also left my lures tied to the line and never had a problem and I'm 68 years young. JMHO

I too use Power Pro hi viz yellow. It fades over the course of a season of fishing. Never used 832 so I can't say from experience how the two compare. May try 832 next time.

KVD 1.5 squarebill, sexy shad color. 8 lb. 8 oz.

Zoom trick worms and Senko's for me. I really loved the Dudley Wackys except they are not durable at all. No matter if I used rings or bands, one or two fish is all I could get out of one worm.

I use an old laptop computer bag that has a shoulder strap and holds one 3600 box for bank fishing. The zipper compartments come in handy for bags of plastics etc... My bigger 5 tray tackle bag only gets taken in the boat.

I tried Spider Wire and immediately hated that stuff! To me it was very stiff and almost felt brittle. I agree with PBBrandon on the 832 and PowerPro.

Fluro to braid on spinning. Straight fluro or braid on casting depending on the lure.

My new PB caught last August while fishing with my brother. 8 lbs 8 oz, 23" long. Here in Virginia that's citation on length and weight.

I am the same way. Right or wrong that's the way I learned it as a kid and it works to this day at 68 yrs old. As you said, to each his own.

At 68 I can relate to all of what OkobojiEagle listed. My balance has really worsened in the past few years. Now a days when I'm fishing from a boat I make sure I have an empty coffee can for the purpose of 'mother nature's call' so I don't have to stand near the edge of the boat.

Personally I use 40# Power Pro on my casting reels with absolutely no issues. Using 30# Power Pro with fluro leader on my spinning reels. I'll get the occasional backlash or wind knot depending on which reel I'm using. I found out the hard way that overfilling either reel can cause problems. JMHO

Just curious how XPS fluro stacks up against Berkley Vanish...which is what I've been using for a few years. To me Vanish is ok but on the stiff side. Thanks in advance.

I too have no words except to tell you you are in my prayers.

Amen!!! My brother can wear them out on a DS but I just do not have the patience for it. I laughed but I fell for it as well. I still have a couple somewhere. Caught a few with them but again, I got caught by the bait monster.

I found that if I overspool my spinning reels with braid I will get wind knots. Once I removed maybe a sixteenth to an eighth of an inch of line it pretty much solved the problem. I still occasionally get a wind knot but it's rare and most of the time when I do I just make sure the knot is wet and pull on it and it...un-knots itself. JMHO

For years I would not touch a spinning outfit due to wind knots when using mono or fluro. Then I decided what the heck and gave braid a try on spinning and I love it!! Currently I have 30# Power Pro braid with a...either 17 or 20# fluro leader and before next season I plan to switch to 15# fluro leader. With this setup I fish mainly wacky's.